Housing and Living with Emotional Support Animals

The main legal rights for emotional support animals are housing-related. Find out how to disclose your ESA to your landlord or HOA, housing rights, and more here.

Our Best Articles on Housing

Everything to Know About Emotional Support Animals

Everything to Know About Emotional Support Animals

Emotional support animals (ESA) are pets that provide comfort to owners with mental health disorders, including anxiety, depression, ADHD, OCD, and other disorders diagnosed by...

How to Get an ESA Letter for Housing the Right Way

How to Get an ESA Letter for Housing the Right Way

When you have an emotional support animal (ESA) and the right documentation, you are protected by certain rights under federal law when it comes to...

2024-08-30T09:05:13+00:00Housing|
Can a Landlord Deny an Emotional Support Animal?

Can a Landlord Deny an Emotional Support Animal?

The law protects owners of emotional support animals (ESAs). Housing providers must accommodate ESA owners, even if they have a policy or lease that prohibits...

2024-03-20T19:52:05+00:00Housing, Renting|

Latest Articles

Can Emotional Support Animals Be in Common Areas?

Both you and your emotional support animal (ESA) have the right to be in your building’s common areas, even if there is a no-pet policy, as long as you have an ESA letter. According to HUD, landlords have to “reasonably accommodate” ESA owners, and that means allowing them to hav [...]

2024-08-22T04:52:40+00:00Housing|

FAQs About Housing

1.Can I bring an emotional support animal to a building that doesn’t allow pets?

Yes, under federal and state rules, landlords have to reasonably accommodate tenants that need an ESA to support their mental health. Even if they have a building policy that prohibits all pets.

2.What types of housing providers have to allow for emotional support animals?

Fair housing rules generally apply to most public and private landlords. That includes rental apartments, co-ops and HOAs. A few smaller landlords are exempt: owner-occupied buildings with no more than four units and single-family homes sold or rented by the owner without the use of an agent.

3.How does my landlord verify that I have an emotional support animal?

Landlords are entitled to see only one document to confirm a tenant’s animal is an ESA. That document is an ESA letter signed by a licensed healthcare professional. Landlords cannot ask for other documents like IDs, licenses or certificates.

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